Health Profile of Kent County, Delaware
Kent County Health Score
The Map AI Health Index is a score that reflects local life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and physical environment to help you quickly compare the overall health and well-being of different areas.
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B
Kent County Around averageLeast healthy county in Delaware
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Kent County | Delaware Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 76.8 | 77.7 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 6.6% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 15.6% | 14.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Kent County is 76.8 years, about 0.9 years shorter than the Delaware average of 77.7 years. The uninsured rate is 6.6%, higher than the Delaware average of 6.3%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 15.6% of residents, higher than the Delaware average of 14.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
65,428 residents in Kent County are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 3,298 1,245 men · 2,053 women
- 75–84 9,600 4,131 men · 5,469 women
- 65–74 18,155 8,247 men · 9,908 women
- 50–64 34,375 16,295 men · 18,080 women
Younger residents
41,414 residents in Kent County are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 12,014 5,989 boys · 6,025 girls
- 7–12 12,561 6,342 boys · 6,219 girls
- 3–7 9,956 5,071 boys · 4,885 girls
- 0–3 6,883 3,502 boys · 3,381 girls
About 10,821 residents in Kent County (5.8% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 76.8 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Kent County | Delaware Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.1% | 11.5% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.3% | 7.0% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 6.8% | 6.9% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 38.5% | 36.6% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Kent County are about the same as in Delaware.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Kent County | Delaware Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 20.3% | 17.3% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 14.5% | 14.7% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 28.2% | 26.2% | 25.1% |
The rate of smoking in Kent County is about 17% higher than in Delaware.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 293,627 cigarettes a day, 8.8 million a month, or 107.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 3.2 million minutes a day and 1.2 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Kent County is 76.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.08 lifetimes a day, or 29 lifetimes a year.
* Source: Shaw M, Mitchell R, Dorling D. "Time for a smoke? One cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes." BMJ. 2000;320:53.
Illustrative only. This is not an estimate of how many people actually die from smoking each day or year - it's a rough, order-of-magnitude comparison meant to help grasp the scale of smoking in this area. We take no responsibility for any decisions made based on this figure.
Air Quality
| Metric | Kent County | Delaware Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 6.16 | 6.57 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 6.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Kent County is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Kent County, DE Health Compared With Nearby Counties
Kent County, DE is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 187,603 residents against a local median of 153,308. Kent County, DE sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is uninsured, 6% below the local median at 6.6% against 7.0%. Kent County, DE has the 3rd lowest uninsured of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Life expectancy | Uninsured | Obesity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County, DE | 187,603 | 76.8 yrs #4/6 | 6.6% #3/6 | 38.5% #6/6 |
| Caroline County, MD | 33,666 | 75.8 yrs | 7.3% | 37.9% |
| Cumberland County, NJ | 153,308 | 76.3 yrs | 10.5% | 35.8% |
| Sussex County, DE | 252,121 | 78.5 yrs | 7.0% | 36.9% |
| New Castle County, DE | 577,338 | 77.8 yrs | 5.9% | 34.3% |
| Salem County, NJ | 65,196 | 77.0 yrs | 4.7% | 36.5% |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Kent County, Delaware has an overall health index grade of B, making it about on par with Delaware, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Kent County, Delaware.
How healthy is Kent County, Delaware?
Kent County, Delaware has a Map AI Health Index grade of B, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a B grade means residents are somewhat healthier than the U.S. average.
Is Kent County, Delaware one of the healthiest counties in Delaware?
No. Kent County ranks last of 3 counties in Delaware by the Map AI Health Index, which measures life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment.
What is the average lifespan in Kent County, Delaware?
People in Kent County, Delaware can expect to live 76.8 years on average, 0.9 years shorter than the Delaware average of 77.7.
How many people lack health insurance in Kent County, Delaware?
6.6% of residents in Kent County, Delaware have no health insurance, about 1 in 15 people, about the same as the Delaware rate of 6.3%.
What is the obesity rate in Kent County, Delaware?
38.5% of adults in Kent County, Delaware are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.9 points above the Delaware rate of 36.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Kent County, Delaware go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 293,627 cigarettes a day, 8.8 million a month, or 107.2 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 3.2 million minutes a day and 1.2 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Kent County is 76.8 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.08 lifetimes a day, or 29 lifetimes a year.
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